Program Description

The multidisciplinary coordinate Major in Social Policy & Practice introduces students to problems, policies, and methods in the social policy and welfare field through four core courses and additional elective coursework in the social and behavioral sciences. The major is designed to encourage students to explore social policy interests prior to employment or graduate education. It also serves as an excellent pre-professional major for social work, the social sciences, education, law, public health, public policy, and related fields.

The program in Social Policy & Practice is designed to grant students a considerable degree of freedom in the choice of electives and to offer ample avenues for students interested in pursuing independent research and/or internship experiences. The program is particularly interested in encouraging the study of social problems related to living in an urban environment such as issues related to race, class, poverty, gender, social justice and the intersections among them. Students in the program are encouraged to pursue study abroad opportunities. The option to write an honors thesis is available to students who are in the University's Honors Program.

Social Policy & Practice graduates often find that they have many career options because of their broad academic backgrounds and well-developed writing, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills that are highly valued by employers in a wide variety of settings. Students in the major are well prepared for entering the fields of social work, education, public policy, public health, law, medicine, business, and any other field that values a solid liberal arts education.

All social policy majors are required to have a coordinate major in one of three social science departments: Political Science, Economics, or Sociology.

Required Courses (9 hours):

• SOWK 2000 - Introduction to Social Policy & Practice
• SOWK 4000 - Emerging Programs and Policies
• POLA 3240 - Public Policy

Elective Courses (21 hours):

All SPP students are required to take 7 elective courses (21 hours) to be selected from a list of approved courses (see below). These courses will be policy-oriented courses in sociology, economics, political science, and other SLA disciplines and programs. No elective credit will be accepted for courses outside of Newcomb-Tulane College.

Students can take only three courses below the 4000-level for elective credit. All other elective courses must be at the 4000-level or above.

All the departments have approved their courses for listing as SPP electives. The courses below are offered on a regular basis at Tulane by regular faculty members. Please note that some of these courses have prerequisites. Students should consult the course catalog prior to registering to ensure that they have met any department-specific prerequisites.

Economics:

• ECON 1010 - Introductory Microeconomics
• ECON 3320 - Urban Economics
• ECON 3810 - The Economics of Labor
• ECON 3830 - Economics of Gender
• ECON 4600 - Inequality and Poverty in Latin America

Political Science:

• POLA 3200 - Congress
• POLA 3270 - Courts and Politics
• POLA 4250 - Power and Poverty in America
• POLA 4260 - Race, Sex, and Power
• POLA 4270 - Constitutional Law
• POLC 4030 - Comparative Political Economy of the Welfare State
• POLC 6100 - Politics & Health
• POLC 6120 - Comparative Social Policy
• POLI 4620 - International Environmental Politics

Sociology:

• SOCI 1030 - Sociology of the Family
• SOCI 1050 - Introduction to Education and Society
• SOCI 1060 - Urban Sociology
• SOCI 1090 - Social Problems
• SOCI 2180 - Wealth, Power and Inequality
• SOCI 6200 - Issues in Sociology of the Family
• SOCI 6260 - Gender, Work and Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective
• SOCI 6300 - Urban Policy and Planning
• SOCI 6330 - Sociology of Education
• SOCI 6640 - Sociology of Organizations
• SOCI 6930 - Social Movements in Latin America
• SOCI 6940 - Political Sociology of Latin America

Social Work:

• SOWK 3100 - Comparative Social Policy: United States and France

Graduate Level Social Work Courses:

Priority for enrollment in graduate level social welfare courses is reserved for graduate students, but instructors will often consider undergraduates for enrollment when space is available. The instructor has total discretion in determining the suitability of the undergraduate for enrollment in a graduate course. The list of courses that will consider undergraduate enrollment is available in the Program Director’s office.